Written by: Muna Moini
Posted on: August 05, 2022 | 
| 中文
Yumna Zaidi as 'Bakhtu' in drama serial
It’s a man’s world and the struggle women living without male support face, especially in this part of the world, is an ugly reality, which is brilliantly portrayed in the drama serial, Bakhtawar currently being aired. The versatile Yumna Zaidi is the main protagonist, Bakhtawar or Bakhtu; the drama has been penned by Nadia Akhtar, directed by Shahid Shafaat and produced by Momina Duraid. The cast also includes Zaviyar Nauman Ejaz, Saqib Sameer, Mizna Waqas, Noreen Gulwani, Shamoon Abbasi, Sunil Shankar, Huma Nawab and Adnan Shah in key roles.
Zaviyar as Malik Sahib
The first episode of the show was aired on Sunday, July 17. According to its official description by HUM TV, the drama narrates the journey of a “young headstrong girl trying to escape her troubled home, the difficulties and pain that she encounters, and how she creates a better tomorrow for herself.” Bukhtawar’s character is inspired from the life of a Lahori woman, Farheen Ishtiaq Naqvi. The first episode begins by showing two young girls (Bakhtawar and her older sister) with dreams and ambitions, which are crushed by their father’s (Noor ul Hassan), drug addiction and love for gambling. He loses his elder daughter in a bet, and marries her off to an unsuitable spouse, scarring young Bakhtawar who vows to save herself and her family from a similar fate.
As the story moves forward, we find that the father goes missing leaving behind Guddu, a bedridden son, Bakhtawar and her mom (Huma Nawab) alone to fight poverty as well as the society that will take every opportunity to exploit them. They are financially dependent on their maternal uncle (mamu). The story takes a twist when her uncle suggests that Bakhtwar marry his mentally unstable son, in exchange of all the favours.
Adnan Shah, his wife and Huma Nawab in one scene
Things get even worse for Bakhtwar and her mother after Guddu’s death, as the only option left was to leave the village. With the help of a friend’s brother, Bakhtawar, along with her mother, takes a bus ride to Karachi, only to find more hardships and hurdles. From street harassment to discriminating workplaces and backstabbing relatives, Bakhtarwar experiences it all.
A group of boys tease Bakhtu
After several job rejections, she manages to secure a well-paying job as a conductor at a bus company, and despite being dissatisfied with the nature of the job, she settles for it. However, things take an ugly turn when her coworker, Parveen, is shot by their boss for rejecting his proposal. Bakhtawar loses her job, and as a result, also loses the only place she thought was a safe place to stay in Karachi. She overhears her greedy maternal aunt (khala) and her husband (khalu) , their only contact in the city, planning to leak their details in exchange for money from the vengeful mamu.
Bakhtawar (Yumna) and her mother, played by Huma Nawab, trying to escape from their village
The mother and daughter escape once again, but fail to find a place to live without a male family member. That is when Bakhtawar, who strongly believed that she could be her mother’s support as a daughter, has no other option, but to adopt the appearance of a son. She lies to the landlord (Saqib Sameer) about having a twin brother who will accompany them. She then disguises herself as Bakhtu and begins to live a dual life.
Bakhtu (Yumna) is hiding during a firing scene
Bakhtawar’s resilience is extremely impressive. She is a combination of strength and intelligence, a true hero. The character is vulnerable, defiant, strong and helpless. Scenes, where she is on the verge of crying but trying to hold back her tears, are heartbreaking. While some may criticize the character for still looking feminine as Bakhtu, I feel her appearance is quite credible. Also, one has to take into account that Bakhtu is not a professional; she’s learning and she’s struggling to act like a man. The decision to live a dual life was very spontaneous and did not have detailed planning behind it.
The way Bakhtawar steps out as a boy, feeling free from harassment, the audience experiences the freedom but also the pain. It is also apparent that Bakhtawar has not yet fully adopted the role of a man. She unconsciously sits in the front of the bus and feels uncomfortable when she’s asked to sit with men, she puts a bag between herself and her neighbour while riding a motorcycle, and she also applies for a job without noticing that it is a female position for which she cannot apply as Bakhtu. Three episodes later, we see that Bakhtu has landed a job at a tea stall (chai dhaba) . The job is helping the mother and daughter make ends meet, but they still live in constant fear of being caught. Every character they meet could be a possible threat to their survival.
Bakhtu with his friend on bike
As far as acting is concerned, Yumna Zaidi has done justice to the character. At times, she flawlessly manages to convey several emotions without speaking a single word! Yumna was last seen in dramas Sinf-e-Aahan, Parizaad and Ishq-e-Laa, and it won't be an overstatement to say that Yumna has outdone herself, yet again. It would not be wrong to say that Yumna has emerged as the best female actor in Pakistani drama industry in recent years.
Yumna as bus attendant
The supporting cast includes some seasoned and a few emerging actors. Zaviyar also makes a powerful entry, and we cannot wait to see how the story unfolds following his encounter with Bakhtu, and the firing at him in the cafe. Seasoned actor Adnan Shah Tipu is in a negative role, who looks appropriately evil, while veteran Huma Nawab and emerging actor Ali Wasi Kazmi have nailed their parts well so far.
Ali Wasi Kazmi as Ahad
We have recently seen that a number of dramas are being made on themes related to the problems faced by women in our society, with women at the center of the story. This is a refreshing trend and we hope that it continues in the coming years. We were sick of seeing similar stories of damsels in distress waiting to be saved by a charming prince. Bakhtawar is a story about being your own hero and three episodes down, we’re totally hooked to the fast-paced narrative and the engaging story. Yumna’s Zaidi’s performance is the central draw in the serial, and we hope that the drama keeps the audiences engaged till the very end.
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